A Highguard developer has responded to fears that the game is being shut down, following the game’s official site going offline. According to the Wildlight Entertainment employee, a new patch is still on the way despite most of the studio’s staff being laid off.
Highguard Website Goes Offline, Fans Fear Shutdown
Earlier this week, players were sent into a frenzy after the official website for Highguard went offline without any warning from the studio. For many, this was a sign that the divisive game was dead and wouldn’t be getting further updates.
However, a developer still working on the Wildlight Entertainment multiplayer title has just responded to the website situation on Discord. In several posts, they revealed that the game is not only still very much alive, but that a new patch is being worked on.
Highguard Patch Update Still Coming
“It’s late, probably won’t be on too long right now. Once we lock in the patch date, I’ll see if we can get a patch preview up for you guys a bit beforehand.” The developer also gave an update on the official website being taken offline after a fan asked when it would be fixed. According to the dev, fixing the site was not a “high priority” right now.
“Not sure on the timeframe, but basically it needs to be transferred and simplified. Low priority atm (reputational damage already done). Now we just need to focus on delivering updates and content to improve.” Interestingly, it appears the Wildlight Entertainment employee believes that the official website going offline has caused “reputational damage.”
Can Highguard Follow No Man’s Sky’s Redemption Arc?
What sticks out to me the most from this latest statement from Wildlight Entertainment is them saying they need to just “focus on delivering updates.” It reminds me of another game you might have heard of: No Man’s Sky. When No Man’s Sky was originally released in 2016, its launch was a disaster, to put it lightly. From major bugs to thousands of missing features, it quickly became one of the most controversial game launches of all time.
Following its release, Hello Games studio immediately went silent for months amid intense online backlash. At the time, players accused the developer of “taking the money” and running. However, it was later revealed that they had been silently working on fixing the game. According to studio lead Sean Murray at the time, the team was better off actually fixing the game instead of responding to the backlash on social media.
As you probably know by now, No Man’s Sky has not only redeemed itself, but it’s now considered one of the best games of the last decade. It’s often cited as “THE” underdog and redemption story in the games industry. Is it possible that Highguard could also follow a similar trajectory? Well, there are a few hurdles that could make this situation a bit more complicated to fix.
Highguard Faces Major Challenges
There are some key differences that could make a comeback more difficult for Highguard:
- Wildlight Entertainment recently underwent significant layoffs.
- It’s unclear how many developers remain on the project.
- Unlike No Man’s Sky, there is no public data confirming Highguard’s financial success.
In the case of Hello Games, the studio was able to reinvest launch revenue back into development. They also retained and even grew its team. Highguard may not have that same flexibility. Still, the developer’s message about “focusing on delivering updates” suggests the remaining team is prioritizing long-term improvements instead of worrying about things now out of their control.
The post Highguard Dev Breaks Silence After Website Shutdown – Promises More Updates appeared first on VICE.
